Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 1/16/08

Amended and Approved on 1/30/08

 

Planning Board Attendees

Eli Hauser – Chair

Paul Lauenstein  

Arnold Cohen – Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan   

Susan Price – Clerk

 

 

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant

 

Attendees

Patrick McMahon – Simpson Housing

Spencer Welton – Simpson Housing

Carolyn Taylor, Simpson Housing

 

Meeting Initiation

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by Chair Eli Hauser who reviewed the Chair’s report.

 

Meeting Minutes

Mr. Cohen moved to accept the minutes of 1/2/08 as amended. Ms. Price seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-1 in favor. Mr. Lauenstein abstained from voting due to his absence on 1/2/08.

 

Form A’s, Bond Reduction, Sign Reviews

None.

 

Hunter’s Ridge

Public Hearing is scheduled for 1/30/08 at 7:45 PM.

 

Sharon Hills

On January 7th, 2008, Brickstone Sharon, LLC, sent a letter to Ben Puritz regarding site plans for the 17 Post Office Square Renovation Project. In the correspondence, they requested the Planning Board take action to approve the site plan at the next scheduled meeting which would be 1/30/08. They also asked that the Planning Board waive any current requirement for onsite parking to allow the proposed parking as shown on the plan given its adequacy of onsite parking in combination with nearby offsite parking. They requested that they be allowed to submit a signage package in a separate subsequent submission.

 

Mr. O’Cain reviewed the site plan dated January 9, 2008 and commented as follows:

The Town of Sharon Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works has reviewed the site plan, dated 9 January 2008.  The plan is being reviewed as per sections 6330-6335 and 3111-3117 of the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Sharon (dated June 2005) and the Post Office Square Design Guidelines.  As per section 6335, there are five site plan review criteria to applied to projects located in Business District A, which is the zone that the subject property lies within.  The following items were found to be in conflict with the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Sharon or need to be discussed by the Planning Board and Brickstone LLC:

1)      Section 3111 of the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Sharon states, “…five (5) parking spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross leasable floor area on the ground floor.”  The building has 2700 square feet of floor area, according to the plans submitted, which translates into a requirement of fourteen (14) parking spaces.  The plan submitted indicates that 5 spaces have been provided and the applicant has requested that the Planning Board waive the requirement for fourteen spaces.

In response to the applicant’s request for a waiver, it should be noted that Section 3111 also states, “Where it can be demonstrated that the combined peak parking needs of all uses sharing the lot will, because of the differences in peak hours or days, be less than required by Subparagraphs 3111(a)-(e), the number of parking spaces to be provided may be reduced accordingly by Special Permit from the Board of Appeals, but only for a s long as this condition exists”.

The applicant may also utilize any parking lot within 400 feet of the site, as per Section 3112.  However, the Board of Appeals must approve the plan and there must be a formal deed between Brickstone LLC and the owner of any nearby lot (see Section 3112).

As per section 6334, paragraph three, “Where Special Permits are required, the Planning Board and the Board of Appeals may start their process at the same time.  The Planning Board will forward its determination to the Board of Appeals, which may incorporate the Planning Board’s decision into its decision”.  It should also be noted that section 6330 states, “In the opinion of the Planning Board, projects that do not meet the checklist will be reviewed and a decision filed within (45) days of the determination that further review is required”.

2)      The applicant has also requested that the Planning Board waive the requirement that proposed signage be part of the site plan submitted.  The Planning Board will need to review this request.

3)      Section 3115 states, “There shall be at least one (1) loading bay for any building containing more than one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross leasable floor area”.  The ZBA may need to make a determination as to whether this requirement can be waived. 

4)      As per section 3117, “No parking or loading shall be permitted between the front of the structure and the sidelines of any way, except by vote of the Planning Board…” The Engineering Division recommends waiving this requirement, since the parking in currently configured in this manner.

5)      As per 3117, “The total landscaped area maintained in lawns or ornamental plantings shall not equal less than thirty (30%) percent of the total lot area unless reduced by the Planning Board…during site plan approval.”  The Engineering Division recommends that the Planning Board allow a reduction to less than 30%, if the plan does not meet the requirement.  It is unclear what the submitted percentage is but the proposed plan provides a significant increase in the landscaped area of the lot.

6)      As per Section 3113, a 24-foot aisle width is required for parking areas.  The applicant has provided a 22-foot aisle width, which should be adequate.  It should be noted, however, that the middle parking space has a utility pole directly behind it.  The applicant may choose to place markings, signs or reflectors on the pole in order to reduce the likelihood of impact from cars backing out the space with reduced aisle width.

7)      With respect to the site plan review criteria in Section 6335, the Engineering Division has no comment on items 1, 2 and 5.  Item 3, regarding parking and loading have already been discussed in review items 1 and 3 above.

The Engineering Division has the following comments regarding item 4 regarding landscaping, buffers, fencing, paving and lighting:

a)      It does not appear that any lighting is proposed for the parking lot or the building.  The Board may wish to confirm that fact.

b)      Please refer to landscaping comments in review item 5 above.

c) It would be preferable if the applicant used bricks or pavers that match the pavers or bricks currently in place in the Post Office.

 

Mr. O’Cain informed the Board that they have 21 days to respond if everyone likes the plan. He also does not think that Brickstone needs what is required within the regulations. Ms. Price said that she believed that Zoning Bylaw section 6332 states that the 21 day time period should begin when the application is submitted at a meeting of the Planning Board, which she assumed would be considered this meeting.

 

The Planning Board has scheduled a meeting with Brickstone Development to review their proposal.

 

Simpson Housing

Representatives from Simpson Housing presented an overview of their project located on Route 1, to the Board.  Simpson Housing is a private development company based out of Denver. Simpson Housing would be their fourth project in the state. They have been developing rental housing for over 50 years. Fifty percent of the company is owned by the State of Michigan Retirement Fund. Initially they proposed the project in November, 2006 to the Board of Selectmen. Since then the plan has evolved. The ZBA hired a peer engineer review of the site. The site design has been adjusted to have an environmentally friendly design. The site size was enlarged to include a waste water treatment plant on site. The market demographics have them focusing on one bedroom units. They are exploring LEED certification and green building practices on site. The projected tax revenue from Simpson is estimated to be between $350,000 - $400,000 per year. The land is currently zoned as light industrial, not commercial.

 

They discussed that Ms. Desberg of the Sharon Housing Authority will be the lottery agent for the affordable units. All 204 units will count toward the Town inventory. This project is deemed a friendly 40B or LIP.  

 

As the ZBA was concerned with safety they commented that they worked with Mass Highway Department and an additional deceleration lane will be added to the roadway.  There was a discussion of traffic safety.  The applicant also said it is possible that they would provide a van for residents from the property to the Sharon train station, if there is significant demand.

 

The buildings will have a New England Village theme. Each building will be 3 stories high with parking underneath. They will have pitched gable roofs and clapboard siding.

 

Mr. Cohen suggested that the Planning Board write a letter to the ZBA regarding their thoughts. He thinks it is a good project for the Town. Mr. Hauser suggested this was a reasonable recommendation. Mr. Lauenstein agreed to author a letter to the ZBA after receiving comments from each Board member.

 

Ms. Sloan asked if Simpson had met with the Conservation Commission. Simpson said they had because they had the stream on the property designated an intermittent stream.  Gutierrez Company, the present owner of this site, will retain the back portion of the property and will honor the wetlands restrictions.

 

Ms. Sloan questioned if landscape architects were used and Simpson said yes they will use the Town plant list as well as native plants.

 

Mr. Lauenstein asked about timing of the project as Avalon Bay pulled permits in March, 2007. Simpson said they were looking at a 5- 6 month period of time before a building permit would be applied for. If the Town is interested in having a building permit issued at a later date, they would be amenable to request the permit closer to January, 2009.

 

With reference to children, they estimated 15 - 20, with 10 -15 of those being of school age. Their market demographics indicate empty nesters or professionals.

 

Mr. Lauenstein suggested Simpson review the Smart Growth Tool Kit to maximize the recharge of the groundwater.  He also asked if they had thought about green roofs and they said they had not taken it to that level yet. Mr. Lauenstein also suggested the use of front loading washing machines in order to reduce the transfer of Sharon’s well water to Walpole. He also suggested the use of a green house waste water treatment plant such as NE Bio Labs in Ipswich.  Ms. Price asked if the detention basins changed on the plans and Simpson said they will stay as is. Simpson suggested they will use select fencing around the property; safety fencing where needed on the retaining wall and around the detention basins and some fencing for a New England Village theme.  Their goal for the trees is to save as much as possible along Route 1 and in the conservation restriction areas.

 

Mr. Hauser commented on several suggestions to improve the Simpson Housing Project financial comparison sheet; such as add net revenue, add cost for additional police and fire, add water consumption, add the number of school kids.

 

Other Business

1. Ms. Levitts reported that the closing for letting Roni Thaler know that a placeholder would be required for Articles for the Spring, 2008 Town Meeting was 1/29/08. Ms. Levitts asked Ms. Thaler to include a placeholder for Inclusionary Housing.

 

2. Ms. Levitts reported that payment for legal ads for Sharon Commons had not yet been paid for by Mr. Intoccia. Ms. Levitts was in contact with Mr. Shelmerdine and asked Mr. Hauser for help in expediting the payment process.

 

3. Ms. Levitts reported that Town Meeting is May 5th, 2008.

 

4. Ms. Sloan stated that Alice’s Hu’s landscaper for Mandarin Taste Restaurant, called her and he understands that burning bush plantings are not acceptable because they are invasive. Ms. Sloan asked for a drawn plan. Mr. O’Cain said he would write a letter to Ms. Hu regarding what the Planning Board expects after our discussion.

 

5. Mr. Cohen stated that the FInComm budget meeting was postponed due to snow but he passed out his analysis to the Board.

 

6. Zoning Bylaws will be further updated once the approvals from the Attorney General for the Fall Town Meeting Articles are received.

 

Next meeting dates

1/30 - Brickstone - Sharon Hills and Public Hearing for Mirrione - Hunter’s Ridge

2/13 - Inclusionary Housing discussion

 

Meeting Adjournment

Mr. Lauenstein moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 PM and Ms. Price seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.